Installation of roofing panels

Abstract: An end cap (74) for ducted plastics panels (72) comprises a channel section member (80) having an intended upper side (82) and an intended lower side (83), the upper side including a co-extruded gasket, whereby when the end cap is pushed onto a plastics panel, the gasket lies on the panel surface to limit passage of water past the gasket. Extending upwardly from the upper side wall of the channel section is a rail baffle (88).

Description: This invention concerns installation of roofing panels. Conservatories and like structures (cf. DE 0 513 934 A, GB 106 069 A, FR 2 528 103 A) can have a roof structure comprising parallel glazing bars extending from one or both sides of a ridge member with glazing panels supported between the glazing bars. A common glazing material is polycarbonate sheeting, which may have two or three skins joined at their edges and intermediate their edges to form longitudinal ducts through the panels. When such panels are fitted to a conservatory roof, the ends of the panels are sealed with a breather tape to prevent ingress of water into the ducts of the panels. The ends of the panels are then covered with a simple polycarbonate cap however, polycarbonate panels are generally not as flat as glass panes, so that some ingress of water is still possible between the polycarbonate panels and their end caps, which eventually finds its way into the polycarbonate panels themselves. An object of this invention is to provide a means for preventing the aforesaid ingress of water into glazing panels of the ducted type. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an end cap for ducted plastics panels, comprising a channel section member having an intended upper side and an intended lower side, the upper side including a co-extruded first gasket, whereby, when the end cap and the plastics panel are pushed together the gasket lies on the panel surface to limit passage of water past the gasket, and a rain baffle extending upwardly from the upper side wall of the channel section, characterized in that the rain baffle comprises a first web which extends upwardly from the upper side wall of the channel member and a second web which is connected to the first web by a resilient flexible coupling, whereby the second web is normally urged to overlie the first web. According to a second aspect of the invention that is provided a roof ridge comprising a ridge beam supporting glazing bars between which are mounted glazing panels and an end cap mounted between ends of the glazing bars and the ridge beam, the end cap comprising a channel section member having an intended upper side and an intended lower side, the upper side including a co-extruded first gasket, whereby when the end cap and the plastics panel are pushed together, the gasket lies on the panel surface t limit passage of water, and a rain baffle comprising a first web which extends upwardly from the upper side wall of the channel member and a second web which is connected to the first web by a resilient flexible coupling, whereby the second web is normally urged to overlie the first web, and a ridge capping mounted on the ridge beam, there being a ventilation passage between the second web and the ridge capping. In a preferred embodiment of the invention an end cap for a glazing panel comprises a channel section for receiving an end of a glazing panel, which section includes one or more co-extruded sealing strips along an upper side wall of the channel. The sealing strips are preferably directed inwardly. The lower side wall of the channel section preferably has a second co-extruded gasket along its free edge. In use, the second web of the rain baffle is raised until glazing bars are fitted, usually up against the first web, when the second web is released to lie on top of the glazing bars. The two webs together provide a rain baffle which prevents water being driven behind the end cap. This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a ridge assembly for a conservatory. Referring to the accompanying drawing, a ridge system for a conservatory comprises a ridge beam 50 supported at each end. The ridge beam is of box section and has side panels 52 indented at 54 to provide locations for glazing panel ends. The box section of the ridge beam is open but covered by a first cap 56 and by a capping 58, which is secured to the beam by means of a bolt 60, which has a head 62 that locates in the formation 64 on the underside of the capping and which passes through the base of the ridge beam to be secured in place by a wing nut 70. Polycarbonate glazing panels 72 are provided with end caps 74, which are fitted into the indentations of the side panels of the ridge beam. The end caps comprise channel section 80 which has an upper side wall 82 with two sealing strips 85 of rubber or elastomeric material depending therefrom. The end cap has a lower side wall 83 also with a sealing strip 86 extending from its free edge. Extending at right angles from the upper side wall of the end cap is a rain baffle 88 which comprises a first web 90 fixed relative to the upper side wall of the end cap and second web 92 which is connected to the first web by a flexible resilient material 93, whereby the second web tends to overlie the first web. The second web has a lip 104 on its free end towards the first web. The second web also has an upstand 106 intermediate its ends. On the underside of the lower side wall of the end cap and on the rear face of the first web of the rain baffle are retaining ribs 94 and 96 respectively, which locate behind cooperating ribs 98 and 100 respectively at the mouth of the indentation of the side panels of the ridge beam, whereby the end caps can be pushed-fitted into the indentation of the ridge beam. In use, the end caps are either fitted to the ridge beam first and the polycarbonate glazing panels fitted to the end caps or the end caps may be fitted first to the polycarbonate panel and then the assembly fitted to the ridge beam. Then, when glazing bars 102 are to be added to secure the glazing panels, the second web of the rain baffle is lifted, so that the glazing bars can be positioned and then released to rest on the glazing bars. The first and second webs of the rain baffle then prevent water ingress passed the end caps by deflecting rain water back on itself to run back down the glazing panels to guttering.

Claims: An end cap (74) for ducted plastics panels (72), comprising a channel section member (80) having an intended upper side (82) and an intended lower side (83), the upper side including a co-extruded first gasket (85), whereby, when the end cap (74) and the plastics panel (72) are pushed together, the gasket (85) lies on the panel surface to limit passage of water past the gasket (85), and a rain baffle (88) extending upwardly from the upper side wall of the channel section (80), characterized in that the rain baffle (88) comprises a first web (90) which extends upwardly from the upper side wall (82) of the channel member (80) and a second web (92) which is connected to the first web (90) by a resilient flexible coupling (93), whereby the second web (92) is normally urged to overlie the first web (90). An end cap (74) as claimed in claim 1, characterized by a channel section (80) for receiving an end of a glazing panel (72), which section includes one or more co-extruded sealing strips (85) along an upper side wall (82) of the channel. An end cap (74) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the sealing strips (85) are directed inwardly. An end cap (74) as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the lower side wall (83) of the channel section has a second co-extruded gasket (86) along its free edge. An end cap as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the second web (92) has a lip (104) on its free end towards the first web (90). An end cap as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second web (92) has an upstand (106) intermediate its ends. A roof ridge comprising a ridge beam (50) supporting glazing bars (102) between which are mounted glazing panels (72) and an end cap (74) mounted between ends of the glazing bars (102) and the ridge beam, the end cap (74) comprising a channel section member (80) having an intended upper side (82) and an intended lower side (83), the upper side (82) including a co-extruded first gasket (85), whereby when the end cap (70) and the plastics panel (72) are pushed together, the gasket (85) lies on the panel surface to limit passage of water, and a rain baffle (88) comprising a first web (90) which extends upwardly from the upper side wall (82) of the channel member (80) and a second web (92) which is connected to the first web (90) by a resilient flexible coupling (93), whereby the second web (92) is normally urged to overlie the first web (90), and a ridge capping (58) mounted on the ridge beam (50), there being a ventilation passage between the second web (92) and the ridge capping (58). A roof ridge as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the end cap has a channel section (80) for receiving an end of a glazing panel (72), which section includes one or more co-extruded sealing strips (85) along an upper side wall (82) of the channel. A roof ridge as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the sealing strips (85) are directed inwardly. A roof ridge as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the lower side wall (83) of the channel section has a second co-extruded gasket (86) along its free edge. A roof ridge as claimed in anyone of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the second web (92) of the rain baffle (88) has a lip (104) on its free end towards the first web (90). A roof ridge as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the second web (92) has an upstand (106) intermediate its ends.

Inventors: LANCASTER JOHN EDWARD, LANCASTER, JOHN EDWARD
Applicants: ULTRAFRAME UK LTD, ULTRAFRAME (UK) LIMITED
Application year: 1994
Main classification: E04D3
IPC codes: E04C2, E04D3